The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Labour Party (LP) have strongly criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling party, insisting that the move will not alter the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the governor’s decision to join the APC on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, and his ADC counterpart, Bolaji Abdullahi, said in separate interviews that the defection reflects moral failure rather than political strength, stressing that actions driven by self-interest would not translate into electoral advantage for the ruling party.
Similarly, the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, warned against confusing elite defections with popular support, maintaining that opposition parties would remain relevant and competitive ahead of 2027.
In contrast, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, welcomed Yusuf into the party, describing the development as a boost for the APC and a validation of its commitment to delivering democratic dividends to Nigerians.
Despite the backing of a former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Governor Yusuf announced his resignation from the NNPP on Friday after weeks of speculation and political tension in the state.
In recent months, several PDP governors have defected to the APC, including Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers) and most recently Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau).
Beyond governors, several influential figures, including National Assembly members, state legislators, former governors, ex-ministers and party leaders, have also left the PDP for the APC.
President Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders have repeatedly rejected claims that the party seeks to establish a one-party state, insisting that the APC remains inclusive and open to all Nigerians.
Reacting to Yusuf’s resignation, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, described the move as a betrayal of the Kano electorate and a blow to the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
The NNPP stated that the party had recently conducted congresses from ward to national levels, supervised by INEC, and had won two supplementary elections in Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa constituencies in August 2025, dismissing Yusuf’s claim of an irredeemable crisis as baseless.
The party recalled a similar defection in the early 1980s by Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, noting that despite mass defections, the electorate later rejected him at the polls. It urged Kano residents to remain calm and trust in principled leadership.
Despite objections, Yusuf is scheduled to officially join the APC, according to his spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, who said the governor would register alongside 22 members of the State Assembly, eight House of Representatives members, and all 44 local government chairmen. He is also expected to inaugurate the APC’s e-registration exercise in the state.
Yusuf said his move was aimed at strengthening unity and ensuring people-centred governance, adding that he was returning to a party he previously joined in 2014.
In a related development, former Kano State Governor and ex-APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, currently in London, is expected to return to Nigeria and may travel directly to Kano to formally welcome Yusuf, according to his former Chief of Staff, Mohammed Garba.
The PDP accused Yusuf and other defecting governors of betraying their electoral mandate, insisting that defections would not determine electoral outcomes in 2027.
Ememobong said electoral strength is determined only at the polls and described the wave of defections as a sign of political cowardice rather than strength.
The ADC said defecting governors were seeking personal protection and would not be able to deliver their states to the APC, while the Labour Party insisted that elite movements do not translate into voter behaviour.
In response, the APC dismissed opposition claims, describing Yusuf’s return as a homecoming and saying the growing membership reflected public acceptance of the party’s policies and leadership.
Elijah Adeyemi
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